ALBANY, N.Y. — New York is one of only a handful of states that don't allow gestational surrogacy contracts, in which a woman is compensated for carrying another person's child.
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That nearly 30-year-old law was passed in an effort to prevent exploitative arrangements that a state task force determined could be harmful to both women and babies. But it is now being targeted for repeal by many couples who say they're forced to travel out of state to find surrogates they can compensate.
Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat who has two daughters who were born to surrogates, has written legislation to permit and regulate surrogacy agreements in a way that he says would protect parents, surrogates and children.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, supports the measure, which is likely to get a vote before lawmakers adjourn next month.
"I'm optimistic although it's a complicated issue," Hoylman told The Associated Press on Thursday. "We plan to have a robust hearing and believe we have a bill that protects all of the parties."
The Senate will hold a hearing on the issue Wednesday in Albany.